Vail Daily letter: Dangerous mindset

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I know that there has been a great deal of anxiety over the poor snow conditions and limited skiable terrain on Vail Mountain this year. So it was no surprise that the 9 inches of new snow reported by Vail this morning as I write brought out great hordes of anxious skiers and riders.

However, these difficult conditions may have erased all sense of courtesy and decorum, which could be easily dismissed if it didn't pose such danger for personal injuries.

This was epitomized by a comment yelled by a snowboarder screaming down the catwalk from Mid-Vail to the scant few open trails. As his board ran over the tails of my skis (for those unfamiliar with skiing terminology, I was the downhill skier sanctioned to have the right of way by Colorado law), he told me that it was my fault that he ran into me because he was going straight and I was making short turns to control my speed.

Not only was his comment ludicrous, it amplifies the recklessness of riders or skiers who believe that when they come screaming down the hill that it is your duty to get out of their way or be hit.

While this mindset may be limited to a few, remember it only takes one to abruptly end your ski season, land you in the hospital or possibly inflict an injury that may plague you for the rest of your life. Thanks for printing my letter.